Well packer



July 29, 1958 N, T. BREAUX WELL PACKER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 31. 1953 A/el/ 7'. Br e a u x INVENTOR.

-,4 TTOR/WSY July 29, 1958 N. "r. BREAUX 2,845,127

WELL PACKER Filed July 31. 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 gpw Ne// 7'. Breaux v INVENTOR.

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A 7'TOR/VE Y July 29, 1958 1', BREAUX 2,845,127

WELL PACKER Filed July :51, 1953 s Sheets-Sheet 3 /Ve// 7'. Ere crux INVENTOR.

BY m 6? ATTORNEY 2,845,127 lcfi Patented July 29, 19 8 WELL PACKER Neil- T. Breaux, Houston, Tex.

Application July 31,1953, SerialNo. 371,461.

6 Claims. (Ch-166-134) This invention relates'to a well packer and more particularly to well packer equipment which is adapted to be anchored against upward or downward movement in a well bore, but which isreleasable and retrievable therefrom when desired.

An important object of'the invention is to provide. well packer mechanism adapted to'be attached to a tubing string and embodying fluid pressure operable. means for anchoring the mechanism against upward movement in. the well, and means operable by manipulation of the tubing string for releasing the anchoring means in the event that the same should become stuck, which includes means operable by manipulation of the string, for releasing the pressure fluid actuated anchoring means in the. event of failure of the same to release.

A further object of the invention is the provision of.

well packer equipment which is retrievable- The above and' other important objects and advantages of the invention will best be understood from thefollowing detailed description, constituting a specification of the same, when considered in conjunction with the annexed drawings wherein-.-

Figure 1 is a vertical, central, cross-sectional view of' the invention, showing somewhat diagrammatically the relative positions of the various parts. of the equipment.

in a well and in a released condition;

Figure 2 is a view similar to that of. Figure 1 showing the equipment with the packer in expanded condition;

Figures 3, 3A and 3B are. fragmentary side elevational views, partly in cross-section, showing the structural details of the equipment, the same being. illustrated in released condition;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view, partly in cross-section, showing the mechanism by which the equipment is retained in released condition, thesame being illustrated in condition: to. permit anchoring and expansion of. the packer; and

: Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view takenv along; the line 5. 5 of Figure 4, looking in they direction indieated' by.

thearrows.

Referring now to. the drawings in greater detail, the packer. equipment of the invention includesan inner. tubular mandrel made up of an Upper mandrel section 10,.

and a lower mandrel section 12', which are connected. together by a tubular coupling member 14. At. its. upper.

mandrel: section, which -assembly 'includes' upper and lower pistonchousin gs-28 and 30', respectively, which are threadabIy-connectechtogethr,gas indicated -at '32; f The upper" endof'the upper piston housing 28. is of. a diameterv to receivethe lower end' of the connecting member 16, which is formed with an external. enlargement 34, pro.- viding ,a downwardly facing shoulder; 36, disposed. in opposing relation: to the upper end surface. of the upper piston housing. The upper piston housing is also formed with an internally thickened portion: 38, within which suitable packing means, such. as. the. O-rings indicated at 40' are positioned to form fluid-tight. seals between the upper housing section and the inner. mandrel, this. thickened' portion also providing, an upwardly: facing. internal shoulder 42 against which the lower end of a resilient element, such as a coiled spring 44,. is seated, whose. upper. end engages the lower end'surface of the. connecting member 16, to yieldingly resist downward movementof the mandrel relative to the upper. anchor assembly,- The-internal enlargement or thickened. portion 38, also provides. a downwardly facing internal shoulder 46, which is engageable with the upper face of a spring stop ring; 48:, carried by the mandrel, and. which forms a seat for the upper end ofa relatively light resilient member, such as:

A sleeve-like member 68 surrounds the upper mandrel.

section within the upper andlower piston housings, which member is formed with. longitudinally spaced externally thickened portions 70. and 72, respectively, forming pistons'withi'n the. housings. The upper piston 70 forms a seat for the. lower end. of the resilient element 50,.and is provided with sealing means, such as the O-rings 74, in

its exterior surface. to form a fluid-tight. seal with: the interior ofv the upper housing, and the lower piston 72 is provided with sealing means such as the O-rings 76 and 78'; disposed. in. its internal. and external surfaces, respectively, which form fluid-tight seals. with the inner mandrel, and the interior of the lower housing respectively. The sleeve. member is provided with an internal groove 80, and anopening 82- leading from the lower end of this groove. to the upper" surface of the piston 72 ex-' teriorly of. the; sleeve member, which groove and opening,

forma. passageway for. the flow of fluid from the'upper side of the piston 70 to. the upper sideof thepi'ston 72; An opening 84 is provided in the mandrel, which leads. from the interior thereof into the upper. piston housing, above. the piston 70 therein, so that fluid in:the mandrel mayflow into the upper housingabove the. piston 70, and. thence downwardly through. the groove and opening 82 into the lower housing above the piston 72. The

lower. piston. housing 30-is providedat its upper end with an. internally thickened portion-86,i within which packing means, such as the- O-rings 8.8 are disposed, to form a fluid-tight. seal between the upper end of the lower housing and the exterior of: thesleevemember 68'.

At its lower end the sleeve member 68 isexternally threaded, for the attachment thereto of a slip actuator cone which is slidablyattached to the-slip 60"hy suitable means-,- such as the screws 92 which extend through slots 94 in the slips; j The upper mandrel section l0' also has an external annular projection 96, positioned below the actuator 90, antiwhich is engageable t-he rewith, upon= upward movemerit; of the mandrel relative to the upper anchor'a'ssem 3. bly, to move the actuator upwardly, thus causing the slips 60 to be moved to their retracted positions.

The upper piston housing may be provided with an opening 98 leading from the interior to the exterior thereof above the upwardly facing shoulder 42, for the escape of fluid from within the housing upon downward movement of the connector member 34 therein, and a similar opening 100 is also provided in the upper housing beneath the upper piston 74, for the escape of fluid from the housing, upon downward movement of the upper piston therein. Similarly an opening 102 is provided in the lower housing beneath the lower piston 72, for the escape of fluid from the lower housing, upon downward movement of the piston therein. Fluid from outside of the piston housings may also flow inwardly through the openings 98, 100 and 102, to permit the ready upward movement of the parts when it is desired to release the upper anchor mechanism.

A lower anchoring assembly surrounds the lower mandrel section 12, which lower assembly includes a cylindrical member 104, having an external annular recess 105 therein, in which friction elements 106 are disposed for limited radial outward movement to frictionally engage a surrounding well casing, the friction elements being urged outwardly by resilient members such as the coil springs 108. A slip retainer ring 114 is secured to the upper end of the cylindrical member 104, which ring is provided with T-slots 116, within which T-shaped projections 118 on the lower end of the casing-engaging slips 120 are disposed, so that the slips may move radially relative to the assembly. Above the slips 120 an actuator retainer ring 122 is located, which ring has downwardly extending T-shaped projections 124, which fit into T-slots 126 in a slip actuator cone 128, to sup port the actuator cone in sliding engagement with the slips 120, whereby the slips will be moved outwardly into casing-engaging positions upon downward movement of the actuator cone 128 relative to the slips. The actuator cone 128 and slips may be provided with pin and slot connections whereby upon limited upward movement of the actuator cone, the slips will be moved inwardly to retracted positions thereby releasing the lower anchoring assembly.

A cylindrical element 112 is threadably attached to the lower end of the cylindrical member 104 and is provided at its lower end with an inwardly thickened portion 130 formed with an upwardly facing sloping surface 132 upon which an internally threaded segmental latch ring 134 is seated, whose threads are engageable with complementary external threads 138, formed on the reduced upper end portion 140 of the guide plug 126, in the manner illustrated in Fig. 3B, to hold the inner mandrel against downward movement relative to the anchoring assemblies. Each of the segments of the latch ring is urged downwardly into contact with the sloping surface 132 by a coil spring 140, which bears at its may enter the ring to engage the threads 136 of the ring with the threads 138 of the plug to reconnect the anchoring assembly to the mandrel without the necessity for rotating the string.

The lower mandrel section 12 also carries an external annular stop 142, formed with an upwardly facing shoulder 44, which is engageablewith the slip actuator cone 128, upon upward movement of the mandrel in the lower anchoring assembly to lift the slip actuator, thereby moving the slips 120 to retracted positions.

The actuator retainer ring 122 is conveniently made up of a number of segments, having portions which overlap circumferentially of the ring, so that the ring is at all times closed, and has no longitudinal gap extending therethrough through which resilient packing could be extruded during the operation of the equipment.

Extending through the retainer ring 122, there is a stop ring 146, to which the segments of the actuator retainer ring are secured by means of screws 148, extending through suitable slots 150 in the segments, and this stop ring is provided with internal threads 152 at its upper end, for the attachment thereto of a packer reenforcing ring 154, which extends upwardly within the lower end of a resilient packer element 156, and is provided at its upper end with an external annular flange 158, imbedded in the inner wall of the packer. At its upper end the packer element has an internal enlargement 160, within which a bearing ring 162 is disposed, and with which the lower end of the slip stop ring 62 is engageable upon downward movement of the mandrel relative to the lower anchoring assembly. The slip stop ring 62 is also formed with a thickened upper end portion 164, forming a downwardly facing sloping shoulder 166 which is engageable with the upper end of the packer element to expand the packer into sealing engagement with a surrounding well casing, when the mandrel is released from the lower anchoring assembly and moves 7 downwardly relative thereto.

In making use of the invention, the equipment is connected to the lower end of the tubing string 22, and lowered into the well casing in the condition illustrated in Fig. 1 with the inner mandrel connected to the lower anchoring assembly by the guide plug 26 which is threadably secured to the latching ring 134. When the equipment has been lowered to the desired location in the well the same may be rotated to release the guide plug 26 from the latch ring 34, as best seen in Fig. 4 of the drawings, whereupon the inner mandrel may be lowered rela- V tive to the lower anchoring assembly, which will be held stationary in the casing by the friction element 106. Such downward movement of the inner mandrel relative to the lower anchoring assembly will move the coupling member 14 downwardly into the upper end of the packer element 156, the lower end of the stop ring 62 being upper end against the cylindrical member 104, and at its lower end on the upper end face of the segment. The latch ring 134 has an external diameter substantially smaller than the internal diameter of the cylindrical element 112, and is somewhat shorter than the distance between the sloping surface 132 and the lower end of the cylindrical member 104, whereby the segments of the ring may have limited longitudinal movement within the cylindrical element 112 and may slide radially on the sloping surface 132 relative to the reduced portion 140 of the guide plug 26. Due to the downward force exerted on latch ring through the mandrel when the friction elements 106 are in engagement with a surrounding well casing, the ring will be held against rotation so that the guide plug may be rotated by rotation of the tubing string to unscrew the plug from the ring, to release the mandrel from the lower anchoring assembly, and upon upward movement of the mandrel relative to the anchoring assembly the upper reduced portion of the guide plug brought into engagement with the bearing ring 162 in the packer element, which will then move downwardly with the mandrel to move the slip actuator cone 128 downwardly, thereby actuating the slips 120 into gripping engagement with the surrounding well casing to anchor the lower assembly against downward movement in the well. During downward movement of the mandrel relative to the lower anchoring assembly the upper anchoring assembly will also move downwardly due to the pressure of the connector member 16 on the spring 44, and

when the coupling member 14 has entered the upper end of the packer element thelower end of the slip stop ring 62 willbe brought into engagement with the bearing ring 162 within the packer element whereupon further downward movement of the mandrel will result in compression of the spring 44, thus exerting a downward force and the '5 a limited force to the slip expander cone' 90 to move the slips 60 outwardly into position to grippingly engage the casing, but this movement will be insufficient to anchor the'upper anchoring assembly against further downward movement relative to the packer element.

With the lower anchoring assembly thus securely anchored against downward movement in the casing, and the packer element expanded into sealing engagement with the casing, fluid under pressure may be applied through the inner mandrel to the pistons 70and 72, to-force the slip actuator cone 90 downwardly and actuate the slips 60 into gripping engagement with the casing, to anchor. the upper assembly against upward movement in the casing. In this manner the packer elements may be effectively anchored in sealing engagement with the casing and prevented from moving upwardly or downwardly therein under the influence of pressure in the casing above or beneath the packer.

Because of the circumferentially overlapping portions of the slips 6!), and the similarly :circumferentially overlapping portions of the segments of the actuator retainer ring 122, extrusion or creeping of the resilient material of the packer element 156 under the pressure of fluid in the casing is prevented, whereby the maintenance of a fluid-tight seal is assured.

When it is desired to release the packer and remove the same from the well, the pressure of the fluid in the mandrel may be relieved, whereupon pressure within the well casing outside of the equipment may enter the piston housings through the openings 100 and 102, beneath the pistons 70 and '72, to move the pistons upwardly, thus lifting the actuator cone 90, and retracting the slips 60. In the event, however, that the external pressure is insufficient to overcome the internal pressure in themandrel, due to the column of fluid in the string above the equipment, then the exertion of an upward pull on the string will move the external annular projection 96 into engagement with the lower end of the slip actuator cone 90 to lift the cone with the mandrel and move the slips 60 to releasing positions. While at the same time the upper reduced portion 40 of the guide plug 26 will be moved into the latch ring 134 to engage the threads 138 with the threads 136 of the latch ring, thus reconnecting the mandrel to the lower anchoring assembly. As the. mandrel moves upwardly relative to the lower anchoring assembly the upwardly facing shoulder 146 of the external stop 134 will be moved into an engagement with the slip actuator cone 128, to raise the actuator cone and move the slips 120 inwardly to releasing positions. The equipment may then be removed from the well with the string 22.

It will be seen that the invention, constructed as described above, provides well packer equipment which may be anchored at any desired location in a well, and which will be effectively anchored therein against upward or downward movement by fluid pressure in the well above or beneath the packer. It will also be seen that the invention provides well packer equipment in which fluid pressure may be effectively employed to anchor packer in the well, and in which means is provided for releasing the anchoring mechanism by manipulation of the string, in the event of failure of the anchoring mechanism to release when the fluid pressure is relieved.

While the invention has been disclosed herein in connection with a specific embodiment of the same, it will be understood that this is intended by way of illustrating only, and that numerous changes can be made in construction and arrangement of the various parts, without departing from the spirit of the invention, or the scope of the appendant claims.

Having thus clearly shown and described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to secure'by Letters Patent is: I

1. A retrievable well packer comprising a tubular man drel adapted to be connected to an operating string, an

expansible packer element aroundthe mandrel, a lower. anchoring assembly around the mandrel beneath and positioned for engagement with said element, and including means positioned for frictional engagement with a:

surrounding well casing to resist movement of the lower assembly in the casing, and means engageable with the' packer element and movable into gripping engagement with the casing upon downward movement of the mandrel relative to the lower assembly and thereafter out of such gripping engagement upon upward movement of.

the mandrel relative to the lower assembly, an upper anchoring assembly around the mandrel above and'posi tioned for engagement with said element and including a slip expander movable longitudinally relative to the mandrel, slips carried by the upper assembly and engageable with said expander upon downward movementof the expander relative to the slips to expand the slips intogripping engagement with the casing to anchor the upper assembly in the casing, means movable with the mandrel and engageable with said expander to urge the slipstoward casing-engaging position upon downward move.- ment of the mandrel relative to the upper assembly, fluid pressure actuated means for applying a downward force to said expander and means on the mandrel positioned for engagement with the expander upon upward movement of the mandrel relative to the upper assembly to move the slips out of such gripping engagement.

2. A well packer comprising a tubular mandrel adapted to be connected to an operating string, an expansible packer element around the mandrel, upper and lower anchoring assemblies around the mandrel above and beneath the packer element and. engageable therewith,

said lower assembly including, friction means positioned for engagement with a surrounding well casing to resist.

movement of the lower assembly in the casing, releasable means oonnecting the mandrel to the lower assembly and releasable upon rotation of. the mandrel. to allow the mandrel to move downwardly relative to said lower assembly, said mandrel being movable longitudinally relative to said assemblies when released from said lower assembly, said lower assembly including means operable upon downward movement of said mandrel relative to the lower assembly to anchor the lower assembly against downward movement in the casing, means on the mandrel engageable with the upper assembly upon. downward movement of the mandrel relative to said lower assembly to move said upper assembly downwardly. to engage the upper assembly with the packer element. to expand the packer element into sealing engagement with the well casing, and means operable by the pressure of fluid in the string to anchor said upper assembly against upward movement in the casing.

3. A well pack-er comprising a tubular mandrel adapted to be connected to an. operating string, an expansible packer element around the mandrel, upper and lower anchoring assemblies around the mandrel above and beneath the packer element and engageable therewith upon downward movement of the upper assembly relative to the lower assembly, releasable means connecting the mandrel to said lower assembly and releasable upon rotation of the mandrel to allow the mandrel to move downwardly relative to the lower assembly, said lower assembly including means positioned for engagement with a surrounding well casing upon downwardmovement of the mandrel relative to the lower assembly to anchor said lower assembly'against downward movement in the casing, eans on the mandrel engageable with said upper assembly upon downward movement of said mandrel when said lower assemblyis anchored to move said upper assembly downwardly to engage the upper assembly with the packer element to expand said packer element into sealing. engagement with said casing, means on the upper assembly engageable'with' the casing upon such downward movement of the mandrel to-anchor the upper assembly against upward movement in the casing, and

means on said upper assembly operable by the pressure of fluid in said string for applying a force to said last named means to further anchor said upper assembly against upward movement in the casing.

4. A well packer comprising a tubular mandrel adapted to be connected to an operating string, an expansible packer element around the mandrel, a lower anchoring assembly on the mandrel beneath the packer and including means positioned for engagement with a surrounding well casing to resist movement of the lower assembly in the casing and means engageable with the packer element and movable into engagement with the casing upon downward movement of the mandrel relative to the lower assembly to anchor the packer element against downward movement in the casing, releasable means connecting the mandrel to the lower assembly and releasable upon rotation of the mandrel to allow the mandrel to move down wardly relative to the lower assembly, an upper anchoring assembly above the packer element engageable therewith and including a slip expander around the mandrel, and casing-engaging slips on the expander, means on the mandrel engageable with said upper assembly to move said upper assembly downwardly upon downward movement of the mandrel relative to the packer element to engage the upper assembly with the packer element to expand the packer element into sealing engagement with the casing and to actuate said slip expander to move said slips into engagement with the casing, and means on the mandrel operable 'by the pressure of fluid in the string to actuate said expander to anchor said upper assembly in the casing.

5. A well packer comprising a tubular mandrel adapted to be connected to an operating string, a packer element around the mandrel, upper and lower anchoring assemblies around the mandrel above and beneath the packer element and engageable therewith, releasable means connecting the mandrel to said lower assembly and releasable upon rotation of the mandrel to allow the mandrel to move downwardly relative to the lower assembly, said lower assembly including means positioned for engagement with a surrounding well casing to resist movement of the lower assembly in the casing, means on the lower assembly engageable with the surrounding well casing upon downward movement of the mandrel relative to the lower assembly to anchor the lower assembly against downward movement in the casing, said upper assembly including means engageable with the mandrel and packer element upon downward movement of the mandrel relative to the lower assembly when said lower assembly is anchored to engage the upper assembly with the packer element to expand said packer element into sealing engagement with the casing, means on the upper assembly engageable with the casing upon such downwardmovement of the mandrel to anchor the upper assembly against upward movement in the casing, and means operable by the pressure of fluid in said string to apply a force to said last named means in a direction to further anchor said upper assembly against upward movement in the casing.

6. A well packer comprising a tubular mandrel adapted to be connected to an operating string, an expansible packer element around the mandrel, an anchoring assembly beneath the packer element and engageable therewith, including means positioned for frictional engagement with a surrounding well casing to resist movement of said assembly in the casing, releasable means connecting said mandrel to said assembly and releasable upon rotation of the mandrel to allow the mandrel to move downwardly relative to the assembly, means on said assembly engageable with said packer element and movable into engagement with said casing upon downward movement of the packer element relative to said assembly to anchor said assembly against downward movement in the casing, means including casing-engaging slip mechanism around the mandrel above the packer element and movable downwardly with said mandrel into engagement with said packer element when said assembly is anchored to move said packer element downwardly and expand the packer element into sealing engagement with the casing, means on the mandrel engageable with said slip mechanism upon downward movement of the mandrel relative to the slip mechanism to actuate the slip mechanism into contact with the casing, and means operable by the pressure of fluid in the string to actuate said slip mechanism to anchor said mechanism against upward movement in the casing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,525,368 Cameron Feb. 3, 1925 2,121,002 Baker June 21, 1938 2,270,648 Church Jan. 20, 1942 2,421,399 Wilson et al. June 3, 1947 2,426,370 Penick Aug. 26, 1947 2,496,546 Lamb Feb. 7, 1950 2,632,514 Fitzpatrick Mar. 24, 1953 2,639,773 Webber May 26, 1953 

